You say potato, I say "let's eat!"

Yesterday, I didn't work... again. It was amazing. Just the fact that I didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time was perfect, so I made no plans with anyone. haha. I spent the day watching Room Raiders on MTV and later, going to random stores. I got a new pair of athletic socks with sweat control from Kohls- I really needed them. I also got a new pair of black sandals with fake diamonds on them from Famous Footwear- those I didn't need whatsoever.

One of my best buys from yesterday was castor oil. Yes, castor oil. My doctor said to rub it on my stomach when I get stomach aches. I also had to wrap my stomach in saran wrap in order for it to be absorbed. I thought I would be uncomfortable, but I was fine. I'll probably put it on again today just for the hell of it. I just went crazy finding the damn stuff. I looked in and out of Giant Eagle and their pharmacy and realized they didn't sell it. But thank God, Walmart is right next door and they have EVERYTHING.

But I guess that's enough about my day. Today, we are talkin' about potatoes. I had bought a few bags of baby potatoes from Giant Eagle, and they had been sitting on the chair in the kitchen. I decided to make 2 kinds of potato salad. I hardly had enough ingredients for the recipes I wanted to use, so I just used what I had. My first recipe inspiration was from Dreena Burton's cookbook, and the next one, I just threw together a bunch of stuff that tastes good with potatoes. Enjoy!

Here's the recipe:

Whimsical Warm Potato Spinach Salad

1 1/2 lb baby red potatoes

Vinaigrette
2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp flax oil

Salad Mixture
2 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup chopped Brazil nuts
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
In a large pot of salted water, add potatoes and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to simmer for 12-15 minutes. In the meantime, mix together the vinaigrette ingredients until well-combined. Next, combine salad ingredients in large bowl. When potatoes are tender, drain, and cool until they are easy to handle, and cut into quarters. Toss the potatoes in the salad mixture and add the vinaigrette to the bowl. Serves 8 people.

Note: The spinach won't wilt if the potatoes have cooled before you add them to the salad mixture. If you want wilted spinach, add the potatoes while they are still hot. I prefer the salad served warm so nuke it in the microwave if it's been in the fridge.

Here's the next recipe:

"You Say Potato, I Say Apple" Salad

1 1/2 baby red potatoes

Vinaigrette
2 tbsp flax oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp Veganaise
1 tbsp prepared mustard
dash of pepper

Salad Mixture:
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sprouts
2 medium apples, chopped

Directions:

In a large pot of salted water, add potatoes and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to simmer for 12-15 minutes. In the meantime, stir together vinaigrette mixture in a bowl until well-combined. In a large bowl, combine raisins, sprouts, and apples. When potatoes are tender, drain, and cool. Cut into quarters and add to large bowl of salad mixture. Add the vinaigrette and toss.

Note: This salad is delicious served cold. It's tangy from the mustard and crunchy from the sprouts- a nice complexity of flavors.